Alright, folks, buckle up, because we’re diving headfirst into a tale where classic rock meets modern marketing, and not everyone’s thrilled about it. Picture this: it’s Super Bowl, and amidst the blitz of million-dollar ads, Dodge RAM Trucks drops a commercial that’s got everyone talking. The soundtrack? None other than Van Halen’s iconic 1984 hit, “Panama.” Now, you’d think pairing a high-octane rock anthem with a rugged truck ad would be a match made in marketing heaven, right? Well, not so fast.
Enter Wolfgang Van Halen, son of the legendary Eddie Van Halen and a formidable musician in his own right. When a fan took to social media to gripe about “selling out ‘Panama’ for a truck commercial,” Wolfgang didn’t just sit back and let it slide. He said: “It’s literally a song about a fucking car, my guy.”
Let’s rewind a bit and dissect this. “Panama,” with its revving engines and adrenaline-pumping riffs, was inspired by a car. David Lee Roth, Van Halen’s flamboyant frontman, crafted the lyrics after being challenged to write about something other than women and partying.
But here’s where it gets juicy. Fans are divided. Some purists feel that licensing such a classic track for commercial use tarnishes its legacy, a blatant “sellout” move. Others argue that it’s a fitting homage, introducing the electrifying energy of Van Halen to a new generation. And smack dab in the middle of this debate is Wolfgang, defending the decision with the kind of candidness that’s as refreshing as it is rare in the industry.
Now, let’s talk about the ad itself. Dodge didn’t just slap “Panama” onto a generic truck montage. They went all out, reimagining the classic “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” tale. Only this time, Goldilocks is actor Glen Powell, and instead of porridge, he’s test-driving three different Ram trucks—the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger, the Ram 2500 Rebel, and the Ram 1500 RHO. Set against a backdrop of fire-breathing dragons and erupting volcanoes, all underscored by the electrifying chords of “Panama,” it’s a spectacle that screams power and performance.
